GOP insider joins 73rd Assembly District race

Republican insider Steve Baric has jumped into the 2014 race for Assembly District 73, bringing the GOP field to four in the heavily Republican district where incumbent Diane Harkey, R-Dana Point, is termed out.

The Rancho Santa Margarita councilman's announcement Monday came with the endorsements of two of the county's best-known politicians, Sheriff Sandra Hutchens and District Attorney Tony Rackauckas.

Baric (pictured) is a former assistant district attorney and immediate past vice chairman of the California Republican Party. Baric has also been a close ally of former CRP Chairman Mike Schroeder.

"Steve will be the favorite of establishment politicians," said Jason Cabel Roe, consultant for candidate Anna Bryson. "Anna's strength as an education reformer and the base she has built as an activist I think make her the front-runner. But at the end of the day, you can't really measure these things short of a poll."

Bryson is a trustee for the Capistrano Unified School District and a member of the Republican Party of Orange County's governing Central Committee.

Bryson's endorsements include Marian Bergeson, a former state secretary of education who has served in the Legislature and on the county Board of Supervisors, and Mario Rodriguez, chairman of the Hispanic 100, a group of GOP-leaning Latino business people.

Also running is Dana Point Councilman Bill Brough, who said he was undaunted by Baric's entry.

"I like my chances," said Brough, a governmental-affairs consultant and former chief of staff for Harkey. "Baric's being the No. 2 guy in the California Republican Party during the worst Republican election in recent memory, I think he has some issues."

Brough said he has not yet hired a consultant and will begin announcing endorsements soon.

A fourth Republican in the race is Rancho Santa Margarita Councilman Jesse Petrilla, an officer in the National Guard.

"Steve is a good person, as are all those in the race, and I welcome him," Petrilla said. "But it will be up to the voters of the 73rd district to decide who the favorite is."

Petrilla has been endorsed by state Sen. Joel Anderson, R-Alpine, and former state Sens. Tony Strickland and John Lewis. He has not yet selected a consultant.

Baric is being represented by veteran GOP consultant Dave Gilliard.

"Our south-county district has a tradition of sending strong, pro-taxpayer and pro-business leaders to Sacramento, and I look forward to continuing that tradition," Baric said in announcing his candidacy Monday.

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